Persuasion
by Sang de Cerise
Summary: James has finally persuaded the thought of Lily Evans out of his mind, just as she's persuaded herself she could give James a shot. We know Lily decided to go out with James sometime in seventh year. What if she was the one who instigated it? James' POV
1. James

Title: Persuasion

_Persuasion is a form of social influence. It is the process of guiding oneself toward the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action by rational and symbolic (though not always logical) means._

Rating: T

Author: CherryBlood

Authors Note:

For a long time I have wanted to write a canon Lily and James, those who know my previous works will agree I find that hard to do. This story has come about from many sources of inspiration - attempting to re write my other fics, reading many fics and reading many great books over my break. I cannot write action to save my life - hence there won't be much of Lily and James running through Hogwarts attempting to catch those pesky Slytherins. Not that I don't immensely enjoy those stories, I just won't pretend that I can write interesting action scenes. I will attempt to incorporate the war as much as possible - I just want to write a great love story. I appreciate all feedback, reviews are almost as important to me as air. Maybe a bit more.

Disclaimer: I'm just an English Teacher … and as they say, those who can't do teach. JK owns. Maroon 5 own all the lyrics within this chapter (Until You're Over Me). I own Paris Caden and his Mix-tape. End.

* * *

_My heart beats fast - I know you're there,_

_And I pretend like I don't care._

_

* * *

_

When they were fifteen, Sirius had decided that when James received the highest mark in the class for his Transfiguration essay and a rare, lip-twitch ("It was a proud smile – I saw her tear a bit" James had boasted) from McGonagall, that the Marauders were doomed to hear nothing else but James' gloating for the rest of the day.

He'd gone too far and plastered the essay to Sirius' face with a simple sticking charm. Remus (upset he'd come second highest in the class and received no lip-twitch from McGonagall) suggested Sirius try the jinx that would stick James' tongue to the roof of his mouth, only for a bit of course.

Of course, Remus had read it on the back on the boys' toilet door, and Sirius had misinterpreted Remus' hurried note and James then had no feeling on the right side of this tongue for a week. Peter said he knew how to get rid of it, but was convinced James had borrowed some of his essay – not the other way around, and refused to help.

James would describe his crush on Evans just like that week – just more prolonged, frustrating and pretty damn permanent.

He'd come to the conclusion while brushing his teeth one morning that the crush had resulted just like his numb tongue had resulted from pushing Sirius too far. He enjoyed annoying Evans. She was almost his equal – in retorts and hexes.

Every boy seemed to like Evans, and James liked to think he started that trend. He'd started that joke about her boobs being too big for her body that went around the dormitories. But then the cat-calling and the wolf-whistling and the chocolates sent to her at breakfast were totally everyone else. He wanted to be different, catch her eye – just he was too young and immature to know Evans didn't find hexing Snape as charming as Paris Caden from Ravenclaw's Wizarding Mix-Tape.

But James couldn't tell you what it was that made him feel attracted (and not just that 'pull', but the fluttering in his stomach) toward Evans.

Then James found himself staring a bit too long at her as she reached up in the Potions storeroom to grasp at an ingredient.

He commented on this at lunch that day, while munching on a peanut butter sandwich (his favourite). He was hungry - He'd spent at least twenty minutes of the lesson trying to get Evans to go get him more Flobberworm from the top shelf so he could see her reach up again. Evans did give him two – one splattered on each of his glasses lenses.

"I mean, you guys all wanted to watch her, didn't you?" He'd said, mouth full of sandwich. Sirius and Remus exchanged smirks.

"No mate – that was only you."

"I think you still have Flobberworm on your glasses." Peter said, putting down his own sandwich and turning slightly green.

Hormones, it was put down too, because really the only thing James was interested in Evans for was the fact that she didn't giggle uncontrollably around him, she hexed him back instead of telling on him, and she was cute when she was mad – which he made her often. He was sixteen (and her boobs were a bit big for her slight frame).

But Evans' boobs were far from his mind on the last Hogsmeade visit of the year. James had received a letter from his parents saying they were going to be in the town on some business on that particular day and would he and Sirius like to meet them for a drink?

They looked so much older than James remembered. His father was wheezing slightly and his hands shook as he took out a small silver box and passed it to James. His mother's beam was stifled by a hacking cough. Sirius got up shakily to get them all some tea, James opened the box unsure.

His mother had written, "A treasure for our only treasure" and James smiled as he saw what lay inside. A golden snitch… that was a pocket watch. Its wings were revolving around the small ball conveying the time. It was much more impressive than stealing a snitch, like he had last year. He'd thanked his dad and kissed his mum and left with an unusually quiet Sirius beside him.

"This is excellent, don't you think? Even Evans-"

Sirius had grabbed his forearm and yanked him to a stop with a flash of anger in his eye.

"What is wrong with you?" He asked stern and searching James' exhilarated face. James opened his mouth to retort something about jealousy (even though his parents had thought of Sirius and bought him his own pocket watch with a Gryffindor crest) when Sirius cut across. "They're not well, James. Can't you see? They're trying to tell you and I could tell all that was going through your mind was that day by the lake and how now you can't wait to show that thing off – and especially how to make Evans remotely interested in it – or you, for that matter."

James was silent. The watch was almost burning the hand it was clutched in.

"You know as well as I do that your parents caught that that cold over Christmas and they haven't recovered. Think about something other than Evans, for once, James."

Sirius left him and marched up back to the school, throwing James a sad look over his shoulder.

That night James cried and shook and wheezed just like his father had and hated himself for only thinking about Lily when all his parents were thinking about was him.

He'd ignored her for the rest of their sixth year. Sirius' words had stung him and his parent's conditions had shocked him and he'd never been more focused in his life to get that Head Boy badge and grow up, to prove to his parents their son wanted to make them happy, and proud.

It took no detentions for months, no hexing others in the corridors, no arguing with Evans over theory in Charms (because the way her lip curled up in anger made him feel funny in certain regions), trying his hardest to ignore Sirius' wounded looks as he sat near the more studious in the class, and above all 100% in everything. McGonagall mid stride one afternoon to watch, a little stunned, as James stumbled out the library with a stack of books under both arms.

_(I keep denying I'm in love with you,_

_My routine is getting old.)_

He'd got the badge that summer and his mum beamed and cried and didn't cough, and his dad's handshake was so firm and strong and his hands didn't shake and James knew he'd done it. He vowed that day to keep making them happy and proud until the day he died.

It was two weeks before their seventh year at Hogwarts was due to commence and James was in a particularly frustrated mood that day. For nights in a row he had been having the same dream. Or nightmare, James hadn't made up his mind yet. It was summer holidays in these dreams, and for some reason Evans was in his garden and they were in their swimsuits. He kept waking up just as Evans reached behind her neck to pull the straps of her swimsuit.

He had the Marauders coming over later in the day to look forward too, and there would be swimsuits involved, and definitely no boobs to cause James the constant frustration ignoring Evans was causing him.

James had pinned his Head Boy badge in a compromising position on his swim shorts (praying to whoever was listening the back of the badge didn't fall off) and was filling up the glasses of the Marauders with The Virgin-Long-Island-Ice-Tea-Made-By-Mrs-Potter-That-Was-Soon-Deflowered-By-Sirius. The sun was hot and the alcohol had made his head sufficiently fuzzy and his speech was slowly slurring by the minute (and he hadn't thought of Evans for hours!). Peter lay sprawled out on a Li-Lo in the water, drink dangling in one hand - he to was feeling the effects of Sirius' concoction.

"I heard Li – Evans got made Head Girl." He said to James, who was motioning him to come in closer to the edge so he could top his glass up. James arched an eyebrow at him in response – where had Peter been looking to generate such a topic?

Sirius let out a bark of laughter from his spot on the sun lounge, and Remus sat up, interested.

"That's excellent!" He exclaimed, and then turned to James, "You should write to her, James."

Sirius let out another bark of laughter, which caused a glare from James. "And what?" He shot at Remus, spilling drink in his lap as he attempted to sit up, "Ruin all his hard work? Emphasis there on the Har-"

"I have nothing to say to her." James said simply, settling into his own sun lounge.

"Congratulations? Ow!" Offered Peter, which earned an ice cube shot as his head from the Gryffindor Chaser. Remus was fixing James with a pointed stare, and James fiddled with his straw in an attempt to hide from it. He was feeling guilty, he knew what was coming…

"If _I _were Head Boy-"

"I'm sure Evans has great things planned, I'll just wing it when I talk to her on the first…"

"You're not planning to speak to her until the first?" Remus sounded incredulous and James didn't want to look at him again.

"I haven't spoken to Evans for weeks." James said proudly, ignoring and pushing aside that pull he was feeling in his stomach. "We don't even know if she is Head Girl, you know Peter always fibs."

"Hey!"

"It doesn't matter James, if she is, you won't simply be peers anymore, you will be colleagues, and role models to other students and –"

"I just can't start – I can't talk to her, not yet anyway."

"You do know about the legend about Head Boys and Girls who are single and compatible don't you?" Sirius slurred, brandishing his drink so that the contents sloshed over.

James was feeling flushed and hot and sweaty and set his drink down. He took off his glasses and dived into the pool, successfully unsettling Peter and causing Sirius and Remus to share a look.

James let himself sink to the bottom and shut his eyes. Yes, he did know about the stupid legend, his mother dared to say the same thing. He couldn't start thinking about Evans like he once did again. He wouldn't let himself, legend or not. The dreams and thoughts and the urges to jump her in the Common Room had gotten worse since he'd told himself Lily Evans was a no go.

Instead he thought about the day his mother dropped her favourite vase after feeling a head spin, and stood there staring at it, hopelessly.

Three days later an owl arrived for James, which said, simply

_James,_

_Congratulations_

_Your Head Girl, L.E._

James almost dropped the parchment in shock. He really wasn't surprised that Evans had made Head Girl. What he couldn't fathom was why Evans suddenly wrote to arrogant, bullying toe-rags.

Authors Note:

In case people are feeling a sense of Déjà vu - This chapter's middle/end was changed as I felt what I wrote before was confusing, and also limited me in where I could go next – at least now I can start from Day One of school :)

**I cannot stress enough how much reviews mean to me** – if you liked what you read, please let me know. If you didn't, still let me know! I would love feedback to let me know if I should continue, what I'm doing right, what I'm doing wrong and what you'd like to see!

All my love,

CB


	2. Lily

Persuasion, Chapter Two

* * *

I really want you to really want me but I really don't know if you can do that.

_

* * *

_

The Summer holidays hadn't been particularly interesting for Lily. She had spent most of it staring out of her bedroom window, surrounded by the company of men. These men were Joss, Robert, Jason and Jay. And they all belonged to saucy women with even saucier plot lines.

While her mother's Mills and Boone collection had kept her entertained for most of the holiday, there was a story of sorts that was running her mind that was causing extreme frustration on her part. It was the story of James Potter, the handsome Gryffindor Chaser who (shockingly!) starts ignoring the love of his life (so it'd been heard) Lily Evans….

Lily crinkled her nose at her own thoughts. She didn't want to think of the rest of that plot line. There was nothing sordid or saucy about it. James Potter just simply did not want anything to do with her.

Lily, to this day, could not figure out why he'd stopped talking, or even looking at her. Lily wasn't sure she liked the new James. He was quieter sure, more modest, less arrogant and suddenly studious. It was a strange sight to see James wave Sirius off to a detention as he settled into a sofa in the Common Room. Even stranger was the sight of James sucking his breath in and closing his eyes and walking away as Snape hurled a particularly vicious insult at him after Potions.

It seemed James Potter had become a foreign being to her. He wasn't James without the cocky smile, his arrogance and his pranks. She just could not get her head around what had happened.

Dorcas had said she just missed his attention, and perhaps she did.

James Potter to her had always been an idiot. So wrapped up in his best friends and himself that he failed to care about anything, or anyone else. His hexes and pranks often went too far and his constant bullying of her then friend Severus was infuriating, as was the never-ending love declarations and proposals of marriage that he sent her way.

Yet he seemed to change by their sixth year. It was nothing too drastic, but it often left Lily speechless. The beginning of their sixth year, she had had a particularly bad fight with Dorcas about Severus and how Dorcas still thought she hadn't forgotten him as a friend completely, despite what he and his cronies had done to Mary in Potions. The Marauders had paraded into the Common Room all clutching steaming mugs of what smelt like Hot Chocolate, oblivious to the argument the girls were having, and carried on to their dorm.

"He was once my best friend, Dor. I know what he is… I know what he is choosing to become. But sometimes I can't forget that –"

"Forget it!" Dorcas had snapped and retreated to their dormitory. Feeling defeated and exhausted from this never ending argument, Lily curled into an armchair. A few seconds later she was startled out of her day dream of pummeling both Dorcas and Severus into pulp by James, who was standing awkwardly in front of her, holding out his Mug of Hot Chocolate.

"Take it," He had said, taking one step closer to her "Fights with friends aren't the best… especially when they're over things that aren't worth it."

Lily raised her eyebrow at this, her arms still crossed. James sighed, "Just take it. You'll feel better."

She had taken it, stunned speechless by this sudden kind act (they were far and few when it came to James Potter), and he had rushed back to his dorm, missing steps on the stairs as he went.

_Idiot _She had thought, taking a sip.

There were no, _"You're looking really inviting on that armchair, Evans",_ no _"Anything for the love of my life!"_

_Just take it. _A few months after this he had stopped asking Lily to take anything from him, and in return asked nothing from her and acted as if she suddenly did not exist. He never asked her to pass the salt, he never made eye contact with her, somehow she never bumped into him in the corridors and he always managed to relocate his friends away from wherever Lily was sitting in a particular class.

Either she had done something to really offend him, or he just got sick of her constant rejection.

"It doesn't matter which…" Mary had stated as Lily nonchalantly bought it up one evening, "You just miss the attention."

Perhaps it was a case of you didn't know what you had until it started to ignore your existence. Perhaps it was just jealousy…

Lily had returned home to the equivalent of an extremely bad Mills and Boone, entitled, _Captured by the Walrus _and it featured non other than her sister, Petunia.

She had returned home from her sixth year at Hogwarts to find Petunia engaged and the man she had gotten engaged to an absolute pig. Although not jealous of Petunia's choice of husband, Lily did feel something in her gut that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

She watched them at dinner while her mother fussed over the venue and the guests and the appetizers that should be served at the wedding, and noticed Petunia was happy, genuinely so. They held hands and whispered and giggled and although Lily felt somewhat nauseated (Vernon Dursley was not an attractive sight, and Vernon Dursley in love was not much better), she also knew what that feeling in her gut was; definitely jealousy.

Lily could have had a boyfriend if she really wanted too. She got love declaration a-plenty back at school, and James Potter had (once upon a time) frequently told her he loved her and harassed her for a scrap of her attention. But they weren't real.

Petunia and Vernon were disgusting, but they were real.

Couples walked down her street frequently, enjoying the sunshine and their Colas and each other and even if they broke apart at the end of the holidays, it was still real. _I should be out there_, Lily thought, watching as the pile of Mills and Boone steadily grew taller. Perhaps it was the Josses and the Jays and the Roberts (who in some way reminded her of Potter) who she should blame for this sudden crush, no – interest in Potter. She was supposed to hate him – she had told everyone for six years she had hated him.

Lily caught herself staring in the direction that Severus lived and had to wrench her stare away. She wouldn't start thinking about that – she couldn't.

Perhaps it was seeing Petunia made happy by another boy that made Lily wish she had someone too. But not someone to love, surely. She couldn't, not with her final year at Hogwarts approaching, and not to mention a war. How could she love while the threats from the Dark Lord and his supporters took many forms – unexplained explosions, freak changes in the weather, murders of both magic folk and Muggles…

And how could she love when Mills and Boone and Severus and Potter – no, and boys in general had taught her that love was, sometimes, worth nothing.

No, Lily didn't need love. To her friends, she was a modern girl who didn't need a boyfriend to limit her and tell her what to do and who expected dinner cooked for him every night. No, Lily wanted to be of some importance in the war, and a boy certainly would get in the way. But she needed something more than her mother's saucy book collection.

One night Lily (after hearing Vernon and Petunia giggling and making other nauseating noises) threw said book collection aside and decided enough was enough. She wanted, needed, a touch of a man, to experience what Dorcas often told her she was missing. And with another thought she decided James Potter would be given the honor.

If the rumours had been true, James Potter had enough experience to write his own saucy book collection.

The only problem was getting his attention back on her. He'd obviously wanted something from her in the past.

* * *

But fate can't break this feeling inside that's burning up through my veins.

I really want you.

_

* * *

_

"And you know what – how dare he just stop talking to me?" Lily stated to the girls at one of Dorcas' mothers' many sundowner parties she threw over the summer break. It was approaching the end of their break, with about two weeks left to go. Lily had received her Head Girl badge and Dorcas had invited Mary and herself over for this party "In order to abuse my mother's very liberal stance on underage alcohol consumption and Lily getting Head Girl."

Mary and Dorcas exchanged smirks as Lily stabbed the strawberry in her cocktail glass with her straw.

"Well," Mary said, putting down her own glass. "Potter's got Head Boy."

"How do you know?" Dorcas inquired, glancing at Lily, who had stopped stabbing the strawberry.

"Remus. He owled me the day after Potter had his own sort of celebration." Mary stated, running her finger around her glass' base. She looked to Lily, "It seems Potter's refusing to owl you, so I think Remus thinks you'll be the better…er, man?"

"Perfect opportunity for you to get Potter's attention back then!" Dorcas said, grabbing more glasses from a house elf, and raising her glass to toast to Lily, "To whatever is going on in your head."

Lily smirked, and toasted her back.

The next day, encouraged by the many women looking up from their covers of her Mills and Boone piles, Lily took out a fresh piece of parchment, dipped her quill in her new pink ink she had bought with Mary in Diagon Alley, and wrote,

_James, _

_Congratulations_

_Your Head Girl, L.E. _

Hoping he would pick up on the implications of 'your', Lily sent it off with courage (stupidity?) she didn't know she had.

Later that day Lily returned her mother's books to the bookshelf, satisfied she wouldn't need them this year. She had her own saucy book to concentrate on. It was entitled, _Persuasion,_ and was all about … well Lily didn't quite yet know.

* * *

Authors Note:

Thank you to my lovely reviews for the first chapter. I have changed what you originally read in Chapter One in order to incorporate what was going on in Lily's head, check it out if you haven't done so already!

I did a bit of research in Mills and Boone, and it seems the 70s was a good time for the business! The men I mentioned are in fact from four novels published in the 1970s.

While I am immensely enjoying writing this, I feel that either is either lying to me in my stats for this story (which are good!), or you guys are not enjoying it.

I cannot stress how much a simple review would mean to me – even if it was just one word, like Stop! I wrote my last story in 2003, I need the encouragement!

So please, please, please hit that button down there – and I will love you forever.

My love,

CB

A shameless plug: I just posted a Sirius based one shot entitled, If You Can't Beat Them, set the night the Potter's die. If you love your Sirius like I do, I would love it if you swung by and checked it out

**Disclaimer:** JK Rowling. What else can I say? James Blunt for lyrics (I Really Want You). Mills and Boone and the following authors own the men mentioned:

Joss – Temptation, Charlotte Lamb. Robert – Take What You Want, Anne Mather. Jason - By Love Bewitched, Violet Winspear. Jay – Rules of the Game, Penny Jordan. There is also a Mills and Boone entitled "Captured by the Warrior" which I changed to "Captured by the Walrus…" :D


	3. Chapter One

**Authors Note:**

**As promised – the new and improved _Persuasion._ For those of you who have returned to reading this, welcome back. I hope you approve of the new Point of View, and almost the new direction this chapter took. I had fun writing it!**

**For those of you who are new to the story – welcome! This story has been on hiatus for a while, but lately I have felt the need to come back to it. Lily's character is different to the 'stereotypical' Lily out there – I need her to be, and want her to be, to be honest!**

**Readers – old and new – please let me know what you think. Reviewing will only take a second extra onto the time you take to read it! I appeal to you old readers to especially let me know what you think, as you would have read the old one.**

**Enough talk – let's go!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing! Just doing this for fun. J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

"And you had better write me, everyday."

My mum was dabbing the corner of her eyes with a lilac handkerchief as my dad grasped my shoulder in a tight squeeze.

I smiled as best as I could at them. Despite the warm weather my mum was rugged up, and my dad's hands shook a little – with cold or his illness, I wasn't sure. I had pleaded with them for the last twenty minutes for them to go back home. I could tell they were tired and weary, this unnecessary excursion taking its toll on them.

"Are you sure you don't want us to say until the train leaves?" My dad looked over his own glasses at me, a playful smile on his face. I was about to punch his shoulder playfully and stopped myself midway, knowing the gesture would push him off balance. I grasped for his shoulder instead and said, imploringly at my mother, "I'm Head Boy now, Dad, I think I can get on the train on my own…"

I could see my mum's bottom lip tremble, and I couldn't help it. A lump was forming in my throat that was almost painful. I'd never appreciated the simple gesture of my parents staying until the Hogwarts Express left, until I saw how uncomfortable it was going to make them this year. If my parents didn't leave soon I'd go home with them, Hogwarts be damned. As if it wasn't bad enough that I would have to say goodbye to my parents prematurely, I'd spotted Evans push her own trolley through the barrier. Ignoring the feeling in my stomach and the flashback of her note the other day, I kissed my mum on the cheek one final time, grasping her cold hands. I hugged my Dad before steering them back towards the barrier – they were to be picked up by a driver, too weak to apparate.

Seeing them go suddenly drew attention to the fact that the lump in my throat was throbbing almost painfully. It had no intention of leaving anytime soon. Looking around I couldn't spot any of the boys and decided to help a bunch on second year girls load their trunks into their compartments.

Unfortunately in moving over to them I had to pass Evans – who dressed in a short dress and her hair loose, looked irresistible. She was talking with some other seventh years, giggling and talking animatedly. Occasionally, her Head Girl badge would catch in the sunlight and I found myself frowning. The hard work I'd put into getting my own badge, which consisted of treating Evans like the plague, now just seemed ironic. I'd have to converse with her and more – be in close proximity to her, work with her…

Hopefully the lump in my throat would be a reminder not to ignore my duties and my parents this year. Evans, it seemed, had the same effect on me as a good Obliviate.

As I finished helping the second years, I looked up to find her staring at me with what I could only interpret as a coy smile.

"There you are!"

My best mate was suddenly in my line of vision, startling me out of my thoughts. Sirius, still smiling as he looked to where I was staring, turned back around with an even bigger grin. Clapping me on the back he said,

"Mate, Evans is looking fit this year – reckon you're going to be able to hold a conversation? You do tend to get a bit Neanderthal around her."

I started to steer him in any direction away from Evans; I could hear her laughing.

"My Neanderthal side will come in handy in reminding Evans she is meant to hate me – not send me letters over the holidays…"

"If it isn't the Neanderthal Head Boy," Remus' head suddenly popped out a window. "I thought I heard someone saying something ridiculous."

"Ooga booga Evans?" Peter joined him, "I've been hearing something like that for the past six years…"

I smacked Peter upside the head, probably a bit harder than I meant too as he winced, but I was feeling nervous, unsure and fidgety – the Evans effect.

"Evans is ruining everything…" I said, seating myself next to Remus and propping my long legs on the seat opposite. Evans _was_ ruining everything for me, my hard work in becoming Head Boy, my ability to think of her as just another girl, and my ability to be normal, form coherent sentences.

"You becoming Head Boy has ruined everything," Sirius said from outside the compartment, his speech slightly muffled from an unlit cigarette in between his teeth. I rolled my eyes, smiling as I noticed it. Peter, looking clearly alarmed, stuck his head out the window again.

"Since when do you _smoke?_" Peter's voice sounded incredulous. I noted a part of him looked like he should be smoking too.

"Didn't you know, Peter? Smoking is compulsory once you run away from home, are disinherited, buy a bachelor pad and a motorbike." Remus stated, matter of factly, flipping through a text book with a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth and sharing a look with me.

"Well," Sirius said, slightly put off and pocketing the unlit cigarette, "The shorts almost gave my mother a heart attack when she saw me, I was hoping the cigarette would finish her off."

Sirius was referring to the shortest pair of denim shorts he could find at a popular Muggle market. I'd unfortunately popped over to his flat the day he bought him, so to me they were nothing new. After his flat, they were a prize position.

"I like the fact that you're wearing a jumper," I said, leaning across Remus and out the window, "Very modest."

Suddenly, a red head in a floral dress slinked out from somewhere behind Sirius. I recoiled back out the window almost instantly.

"I like it," she said, lifting her sunglasses a top her head and appraising Sirius with green eyes highlighted by silent mirth. "And you can't talk about modesty James, those jeans get tighter every year."

I could feel my cheeks reddening under my glasses. Remus laughed and Peter snickered and even Sirius was grinning. Some mates. Feeling nervous and stupid, like I usually did around her, I'd decided to make an even bigger fool of myself. I cleared my throat and avoided her gaze,

"Evans," I said, "I've got to say, that badge is really flattering on you. It really draws attention to your… eyes."

Her hand flew up to fiddle with the badge, and she smirked back.

"Well, then I'm glad I have your attention." She said simply, fixing me with a pointed stare. Summer had been kind to her, and now was her accomplice in trying to make her succeed in whatever her plans were for me. Her short dress was distracting; her long red hair had seemed to grow even longer and had become an even darker shade of red. Neanderthal James approved.

"Anyway, Evans, where's Snape?" I said, covering my eyes and feigning looking around the platform, trying not to wince at my own thoughtlessness and the kicks to the shin I received Remus. "Is that what that dress is for? Trying to get his attention back from Mulciber?"

If I had hit a nerve, she certainly didn't show it. She took her glasses off her head, gave them a quick wipe with the hem of her dress (was that thigh?) before placing them back on her face. She looked cool, and impassive, and I was waiting for the screaming match I was sure she was brewing up. Sirius even took a couple of steps away from her.

I nearly smacked my head on the window ledge when I heard her voice, laced in something I couldn't quite place, say "Oh, the dress isn't for him. Like I said, I needed your attention."

She took a step closer to me, "We have our first meeting in twenty minutes. Try to not let those jeans inhabit your prompt movement to compartment 1B."

With that she was a blur of floral and red as she marched up further along the platform. I actually felt smacked stupid. I was feeling ill and almost dumb struck. Who was this Lily Evans? Previously my head would have bitten off in one swift movement with any comment made towards Snape. The breakdown of their friendship was a touchy subject; one I knew she wished to remain in the past. Unfortunately for me it seemed I couldn't let bygones be bygones, especially when it came to Snape.

"And he returns!" I heard Sirius say from outside the compartment.

"It's almost as if the second half of last year didn't happen," Peter mock-mused, scratching his chin. I glanced at Remus who was watching me, and then fiddled with a hole in my jeans.

"Whatever," Was my intelligent reply.

I was definitely feeling ill. Not only did I hate myself for bringing up Snape, and in a way that would have put my fifteen-year-old self to shame, but also I knew that pull and fluttering in my stomach, and I knew what I became thanks to it. I couldn't, absolutely couldn't, be anything more than Lily's colleague this year. If turning back into an arrogant bastard was what it took to get whatever was going on in Lily's head out of it again, then so be it.

"Why now?" I wasn't talking to anyone in particular; in fact I was sure I was talking to myself. "Why is she being like this now?"

"Funny how that happens," Remus said quietly, a slight smile on his face as he fiddled with a dog-ear on his page.

"Oh shush Moony," Sirius said, clambering finally into the compartment. "Whatever you do, Prongs, don't succumb to her charms. I didn't spend half of last year in detention alone for nothing. You did it before, you can do it again."

"Thanks for the pep talk," I smirked, "But I can't take you seriously in those shorts."

* * *

The time had come to meet Evans in the compartment to talk before we had the official Prefect's meeting. The clever bastard that I am (teamed with Sirius who seemed to be determined not to let Evans 'seduce' me) had come up with the brilliant idea of infuriating her, a reminder of who I was. Despite the fact I hadn't infuriated her in a good couple of months, and liked to think I had grown up…

I sauntered to compartment 1B, Head Boy badge firmly pinned on the crotch of my jeans, and Sirius' pack of cigarettes shoved in my jeans pocket, one behind my ear, and hair thoroughly messed up. It had felt like a strange old habit when I had done it, and Sirius even claimed I hadn't done it right.

Looking through the window of the compartment I saw her sitting on the left, a cardigan over her dress. Part of me felt relieved, another felt thoroughly uncomfortable at the way I must have looked. Still – if dickhead James had to come out to combat the Evans effect – so be it.

I opened the door and, drawled lazily, "I'm here, Evans."

She looked up at me very slowly from underneath her lashes. I could see a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. She managed to fight it and raised her eyebrows at me.

"So you are," She said. "You look ridiculous."

Well. I shut the door behind me and took a seat opposite her, stretching out my legs in a similar fashion that I had done previously, making sure my dirty red converse where right next to her clean, neatly pressed dress.

"And what exactly are you trying to draw attention to?"

I followed her gaze, which was quite pointedly at my lap, and in particular my badge. I raised me own eyebrow back at her.

"Isn't it obvious?" I said back, feeling slightly dejected at how cool she was being. I really expected a lecture on how I shouldn't be behaving so immaturely, and how dare I let the younger students see the Head Boy with cigarettes in his pocket.

"No, actually."

I almost choked on my saliva, and noticed she was smirking. She moved her portfolio from her lap and was suddenly shrugging her cardigan off her shoulders. I swallowed, hard and was inwardly cursing. I would crumple seeing her shoulders, I knew I would.

"Hot in here, isn't it?" She said lightly, folding her cardigan neatly and leaning forward on the table. I shrugged non-committed, my insides twisting.

"Guess so," I said, taking the cigarette out from behind my ear. "I am in here…"

She scoffed, and I was relieved. That was more like the old Evans I knew. Now she would tell me to get over myself, the world didn't revolve around me, whatever I thought, and in fact, not everyone loved me. I almost knew it off by heart.

"But of course," was her reply, and I almost faltered in lighting the cigarette. Luckily the lads and I had attempted smoking last summer, and I didn't look like a complete idiot lighting it and taking a drag. I opened the window, sat nearer to it, and stretched out my legs again, placing my arms behind my head. She was watching me intently.

"Hope you don't mind," I said, taking another drag and then blowing out the smoke. I felt disgusting, and horrible when the smoke curled around her head. She got up and plucked the cigarette out from between my lips. Here it is! Here's the lecture, I thought, bracing myself. Instead, she took a long drag, closing her eyes as she did so. She looked incredible. And I realized I looked fucking stupid. She blew the smoke in my face, and poked the cigarette back between my lips.

"Go ahead," She said smugly, leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms across her chest. I chucked the cigarette out the window, and thought that this was incredible, unbelievable.

"This is going to be an interesting year," I muttered, mostly to myself but she caught it and her grin grew winder.

"It certainly is."

* * *

**Talk soon! ;)**


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